The Sacrifice and Other Steam-Powered Stories

by Saxton Hale (Forward), Rachel Edidin (Editor)

For fifteen years, Valve has defined the cutting edge of video games. Now, Valve joins with Dark Horse to bring three critically acclaimed, fan-favorite series to print, with a collection of comics from the worlds of Left 4 Dead, Team Fortress, and Portal. With over two hundred pages of story, Valve Presents: The sacrifice and other Steam-Powered Stories is a must-read for fans looking to further explore the games they love or comics readers interested in dipping their toes into new mythos!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Video Games, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Gaming, Fiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published November 29, 2011

Reviews

[Diayll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally Reviewed at:Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating:5 out of 5 controllers
Review Source:NetGalley
Reviewer:Me


Louis, Francis, Zoey, and Bill are up to their eyeballs in zombies in The Sacrifice. In this installment, we follow our four survivors in an attempt to get to a safe zone (flashbacks to the game anyone?). But even when it looks as if rescue is a breath away, things – as we know from the game – are not always as they seem. And this outbreak is NOT the Flu.



The Sacrifice is broken up into four parts, and with each section readers are given the back-story of each character. Can I just tell you how BLOODY MIND-BLOWING this story was? The entire time I was huddled over my computer screaming at the pages as if I was playing Left 4 Dead (if you have NOT PLAYED this game, you must do so NOW) on the console. It gave me the same exact adrenaline rush I got while playing the game. You never know whether someone will live or die, and the overwhelming feeling of death looms over you, page after page. It was exciting to say the least. Bill is still one of my favorite characters. He is a nutty over-the-top character with a death wish. He’s even better to read than to watch fumble around with his grenade loving, cigarette throwing self. Similarly, Francis is a funny character to read. He is so nonchalant I was dying with laughter from his smart-alecky remarks to Louis.



Zoe and Louis are also great additions. Louis is the type of character who would probably get you killed if there really was a zombie apocalypse. He tries to see the best in every situation without seeing the facts. But his banter back and forth with Francis kept me laughing and the whole time I was saying to myself, “better Francis than me”. And what would the story be without an a** kicking female character? Zoe, the character I always played in the game, was not as entertaining as the rest of the crew but she still had her moments and I was happy to read them.


I thoroughly enjoyed the back-stories. Each one brought some humor to the table, ordinary lives turned upside down in the blink of an eye. From their flashbacks you can see why our characters act the way they do. Louis was so worried about his job he was almost bitten while on the toilet. Zoe lost more than she could handle. Francis, well you will just have to read his story. And of course Bill, I just love Bill he is made of pure AWESOME! The art style is comparable horror wise to a graphic novel I reviewed in November, Crawl to Me. It’s gruesome, with tons and tons of blood and gore. Horror fans and adrenaline junkies will love it.



Overall, Left 4 Dead: The Sacrifice is gritty, overly bloody, and told with the same humorous one-liners that you expected in the game. I am head over heels in L-O-V-E with The Sacrifice. That statement might be a little fan-girl bias, but I promise, even if you have never played the game and you are just a fan of zombies, you will not be disappointed. I can’t wait to get my hands on the full graphic novel so I can dive into the other stories.

[Nicholas Driscoll · Rating 1 out of 5]

Astonishingly awful collection of comics. The first, Left 4 Dead, is yet another cookie cutter zombie story. It’s fast moving with tons of gory action and lots of quips. It’s nothing great, but if this were the only comic, I might give he overall book two or three stars. I got tired of it and just wanted it to end, but it was alright.

The other two comics, on the other hand, were just excruciating. Team Fortress was utter madness. I couldn’t even figure out what was going on. The story seemed to be flickering between several different streams, including bizarre side stories about a bare chested idiot adventurer, then back to the senseless main plot which was apparently about an evil businesswoman paying soldiers to kill each other. But nothing made sense at all. Some funny jokes, but just painful to get through.

I couldn’t wait to get to the Portal 2 comic because I hoped it would be better, and of the here game properties it was the one I was most familiar. However, instead of featuring a Chell as he main character, we get another hard-to-follow story, this time again switching art styles, again featuring insane characters, again featuring lots of stupid jokes and a barely there story.

Awful, awful, awful. One of the worst comics I’ve read in years.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greetings go out to Jan, Liina, Sven and all the good friends with whom we have spent great time with Portal, Left 4 Dead and Team Fortress. And respect to Valve for maintaining great communities.

Louis: "That was your plan."
Francis: "That was the first part of my plan."
Louis: "Yeah, let's recap some of your plans so far. "Go help that crying girl, Louis. She looks sad." "Let's find the army, they'll know what to do." "We're locked in a tiny room. I'll piss off the guys with guns so they'll shoot Louis.""
Francis: "All good plans. What's yer point?"

A video to explain the context.

Apple store sales guy: "...and the bullets biodegrade once they hit flesh, leaving nothing behind but a blog post."
Heavy: "Bullet will update blog with kill count?"
Apple store sales guy: "In real time, sir!"
Heavy: "I do not have blog."
Apple store sales guy: "The bullets are programmed to set one up for you!"
Heavy: "I like this gun!"

A video to explain the context.

GLaDOS: "Since the installation of my new morality core, I've lost all interest in killing. Now I only crave science."
Scientist: "I am pleased to hear that."
GLaDOS: "I find myself drawn to the study of consciousness. There's an experiment I'd like to perform during "bring your cat to work day.""
Scientist: "Wonderful!"
GLaDOS: "I'll have the box and the cats. Now I just need one more thing."
Scientist: "What's that?"
GLaDOS: "...a little neurotoxin."

A video to explain the context.

[Sam Hval · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of comics was definitely made for Valve fans. I can't see the average reader finding much enjoyment or understanding in these stories. But if you are a fan of Valve's games, definitely get this. The sharp wit and iconic imagery is present in all three stories. My favorite one was definitely "The Sacrifice". It gave so much more depth to the world and characters of Left 4 Dead. The art in "Portal 2: Lab Rat" was spectacular and unique. The Team Fortress 2 stories weren't the best, but they had some really great lines and were visually interesting. If you're a fan of any of these properties, I'd recommend checking it out.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Left 4 Dead the Sacrifice, By Valve Studios. This book was different because it was the studio's first book and they also based it on their game that they made called Left 4 dead. They had used the same characters, but just a different plot.

The main point or conflict was that the 4 main characters (Bill, Zoey, Louis, and Francis), are trying to make it from Philadelphia to the Florida Keys to escape a zombie infection outbreak that has been going on for the past couple of months. They do run into trouble with the military who was sent in to control the outbreak. The four are captured by the military and brought into a safe haven for testing because the medical staff there are baffled as to how the four survived this long without being infected. Though the haven eventually gets overrun, the four are helped by the security staff as they make it to a troop and cargo transport train that has been parked in the base. Once they are there, they then set course for As far as the tracks take them (Which was the border of Florida. They then find a boat which they use to get to the keys. And that is where the story ends.

I liked that you were really never bored of the book, because it kept moving, and there was always a lot going on. I also really liked that it was almost an addition to the already existing game. But I did not like how short it was. It seemed that they really could have added a lot more story to it.

I could see what others might not like about the story like how it is based off of a game but I think that it makes the book more fun if you have already played the game as I have. I felt like even if you haven’t you can still connect with the characters problems and personalities.


Overall it was a very good read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is wanting a good story. Or anyone who has played the game and looking for more. Definitely worth your time.

[Maisartcraft · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this its very precius to me both as reader and collector .
it contains multiple short storys well illustrated in comic format . I was so lucky to get the last of the book in a comic shop when I was traveling outside my country . it was one of the only things I brought home for my self at the time .
its nice the pages have a nice smooth feel as well .
also my favorite team fortress 2 comic is in there <3
teamfortress2 (one of the games some of the storys in there is based on) is my favorite video game , and its nice to get some of the lore behind it.
it contains funny art easter eggs as well :)
its one of my favorite books .

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

“are any of the TF2 comics in print?”
No TF2 question can be asked to me and go unanswered.
Looked online and this seems to be it- so of course I got it on eBay and took a look.
This isn’t the best the TF2 Comics have to offer in my opinion, but they were nevertheless hilarious and I loved all the different art styles and inserts. The TF2 section had a fanzine feel. In that way, it shows all the love the team had for it.
The sneaky star was the Portal comic which was beautiful, haunting, and filled in a neat bit of lore.
I know next to nothing about Left 4 Dead but the art is sick 🫶.

[Xavfro · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a nice collection of 3 Valve stories. I liked the Portal the most and then the Left 4 Dead one. (Same as the games i guess :) ) Team Fortress isn't really my thing but overall a fun read.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection of mini-stories for the videogames Portal, Left 4 Dead and Team Fortress 2.

They all do an amazing job of capturing the feeling of each game. Great work Valve!

[Nightwing’s Thiccness · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love these Steam games, you’ll love these stories. I love the TF2 generational highjinks, but Portal’s paranoia of the Rat Man is objectively the best of the 3 titles.

[Graham Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read most of this previously but it was nice rereading it all during a difficult time in my life. Valve should do another comic series some day.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting comics about valve games.

[Evan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evan.C
8B
Book plug
9/7
This book is a compilation of comics from the game universes created by Valve. The universes include Left4Dead, Teamfortress 2, and Portal 2.
The Left4dead comic explains what happens between the campaigns of Blood Harvest and The Sacrifice. Our group of survivors, Bill, Francis, Lous, and Zoey get escorted to a military base instead of being escorted to the safe zone Echo. They find out that they aren't actually being rescued, but are actually being rounded up to be tested on, as they have survived many encounters with the infected all the way through Philadelphia, and are somehow miraculously immune to the virus. The TF2 section is just a compilation of promotional comics created when game updates are announced, such as War. The Portal 2 section is all about Doug Ratman, the last living Scientist alive in the abandoned Aperture Labs, as all of his other co-workers were killed by GLaDOS, a sentient homicidal computer. But the thing is, Ratman is suffering from Schizophrenia. However, hope is regained when a test subject with an extra special trait is up to do 'tests' with GLaDOS. Her name is Chell, and she is overwhelmingly determined.

I give this book a 10/10 for keeping each character's personalities in check with their in-game counterparts. As well as managing to explain plot holes while still sticking to the original canon, such as 'How are the survivors somehow immune to the infection?' if you like the games created by Valve, you should check this book out.

[AintGotTimeToRead · Rating 2 out of 5]

Contained within are the missing cutscenes from Left 4 Dead, TF2, and Portal.

This is how Valve externally monetised their games before somebody thought of hats.

[Benedict · Rating 4 out of 5]

'The Sacrifice and Other Steam Powered Stories' is a set of graphic novels based around three of Valve's popular video game franchises; Left4Dead, Team Fortress 2 and Portal.

The first half of the book is devoted to the titular story 'The Sacrifice', in the Left4Dead universe, following the original four survivors in events taking place after the completion of the game. The story is available as additional DLC, so I'd already played the scenario, but the comic version added more depth and backstory. The artwork was pretty good too.

Following this is a series of short open-ended comics from Team Fortress 2, described as quirky introductions used to promote new additions and backstory to the game. They're funny and cute but don't really go anywhere.

Finally there is the story 'Lab Rat', set between the games Portal and Portal 2. It serves as a loose tie to connect the gap between the two, following the enigmatic "Rat Man", a previously unseen character from Portal who left scrawling writing in various places throughout the game. It's short but really well written, and the art style complements the story perfectly.

A neat little set of comics, great for fans though I'm not sure how much an outsider would appreciate them.

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not being a major video-game fan, I was dissapointed to discover that this Dark Horse collection focused not on "steam-powered" stories, but on graphic novel tie-ins. Left 4 Dead gives us another zombie apocalypse, with four survivors attempting to find themselves a safe zone. Sadly, the loveable curmudgeon does not survive the story's outing, and thusly deletes any interest in pursuing more storylines. The ridiculous Team Fortress feature is a mish-mash of art, storytelling, and foolishness that barely deserves a mention - I could do without further adventures of Saxton Hale. Our Portal feature deals with a scientist who is trying to escape a computer-controlled facility. Activating a girl to help him escape, he does so but at the cost of his lab rat. We discover she was chosen from the myraid of candidates due to her effective stubborness, making it a somber yet engaging read. A great collection for fans of those games; an utter disappointment for those seeking steampunk stories.

[Cale · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a collection of comics based around Valve properties Left for Dead, Team Fortress, and Portal 2. Left for Dead's Sacrifice is the closest to a normal comic, four issues setting up and retelling the Sacrifice mission for the game. It does a good job capturing the spirit of the game and the characters. The Team Fortress stories are more off-the-wall, but it may be that I'm not familiar enough with the property to 'get' them. Zany and silly, and not quite logical.

And then there's Portal 2; where the story of Lab Rat, the man who left the graffiti in the testing facility. It's interesting, and serves as a bridge between the games, but as it's told by someone who is suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, it is very jagged and rough; two different art styles, multiple time periods, all work to tell one story, but it's not as well told as one would like.

All told, it's an interesting collection, but nothing to go out of your way for.

[Patrick Funge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valve stories is a book with three stories inside. The one I thought was good was the first one called, "The Sacrifice". It is about a group of lone survivors, Zoey, Bill, Francis, and Louis who get stuck on a bridge because one of the zombies jammed the engine raising the bridge. Only one of them has to go and un-jam the engine.

I thought this book was a good book. I liked it because I knew all the characters because they all were in games I have played, so I could see the perspective that they were all coming from. I would recommend this book to anyone who liked Left for dead, Portal 1 and 2, and Team Fortress 2.

[Laura]

Dark Horse and Valve, if you are so worried that someone will rip and release pages of this before it is released or whatever, do reviewers/librarians/bloggers the world over a favor and just DON'T RELEASE PROMOTIONAL COPIES. Don't get me crazy excited to read this and then stamp a watermark over half of each entire page of a GRAPHIC NOVEL rendering it UNREADABLE. If you want advance reviews/buzz, you have to run a risk. It sucks, I know. Not releasing promo copies is always an option.

[Gareth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent collection of comics, released in a beautifully made large format hardback.
"The Sacrifice" cleverly puts all the famous elements of "Left 4 Dead" into a story, with some gorgeous horror artwork.
"Team Fortress 2" provides a great set of comedy sketches. Ultra-macho Aussie Saxton Hale is a terrific creation.
"Lab Rat" links the two "Portal" games with an elegant, sweet story that provides some interesting background to its two main characters.

[Michael Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

I laughed a lot! The book is broken into 3 parts, a Left 4 Dead 2 section, Team Fortress 2, and Portal 2. They were all enjoyable stories. The Left 4 Dead story had some good zombie action and also quite a few laughs. The star of the book is Saxton Hale however. Every part he is in is fantastic! Also the ads were quite hysterical.

[Jimmy Corvan · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories were a blessing to anyone who has played the games.

The Sacrifice was a fantastic telling of the original 4 survivors back stories.

Team Fortress was as ridiculous and fun as the game.

Portal...oh my god...Portal was just a joy. The art was superb and the story was intriguing.

A must read for Valve fans

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Team Fortress 2 stories and Lab Rat are good. Funny and interesting respectively. But The Sacrifice... Now that's one heck of a story. If you are familiar with the original Left 4 Dead game, it'll hit you. Hard. If you've only a passing interest or no real knowledge of the characters, it's a good zombie story. But... If you're attached to the characters... Just... Read with caution.

[Jacob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Public library copy.

I'm not at all familiar with the 3 video games of which this book was based. Nice Mike Oeming art and a book of enormous size for a cover price of $25. I've seen smaller sized books with a fewer page count cost a lot more. I'd buy this book used, but I wouldn't want to revisit the stories and purchase at cover price.

[The Novel Strumpet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't really play video games and not the biggest graphic novel fan, but this was a really good book. I like to read about games so that I know what's going on and I think even if you've never played Left 4 Dead, Team Fortress or Portal you'd still be able to enjoy this book.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great bit of lore from Valve. The TF2 stuff was mainly rehashed comics from their updates but the L4D/Portal comics were really well done. I am particularly fond of the art style of the Portal comic. Fantasticly well done.

[Kit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Valve, why are you full of so many fantastic things?

[Dang Ole' Dan Can Dangle]

A set of comics which further enrich the worlds of three great Valve games (Left 4 Dead, Team Fortress, Portal).

[orangerful · Rating 3 out of 5]

only read the "Portal" story since that was the only one that really interested me. Really cool artwork and explanation of how Chell was "chosen"